184 



JOURNEY ACROSS 



officer commanding the detachment, to sleep 

 for a little while on his bed in the travellers' 

 hut. On awaking I found the captain still 

 talking of the Indians, and our friend Don 

 Joachim eating sour peaches, some of which 

 he offered me. The captain of the troop said 

 the Indians could not be far off, having been so 

 recently seen on the road. This was not plea- 

 sant news ; but it was vain to endeavour to avoid 

 them, as we knew nothing certain of their move- 

 ments. They are here, there, and everywhere, 

 on their fleet horses, in an incredibly short space 

 of time ; so believing the only means of safety 

 were to be found in a good pair of spurs and a 

 kind Povidence^ we saddled our horses and 

 galloped away. The next post w T as more 

 than twelve miles distant. We rode it within 

 the hour, under a burning sun ; but the breeze 

 kept us alive. The plain here was undulating, 



